Which satellite box

[woodsieboy]

I have just been given 65cm dish and stand with cable,I am looking for recommendations as to suitable box. Would like an easy to set up system if such a thing exists.

 

[Sproket]

Maxview do a easy find LNB that works with there own freeview set top box.

As you have the dish & cable it would be easy to change the LNB ( that's if it has one on ?) to this easy set up.

But read this first

 

[woodsieboy]

Thanks Sproket

Had a quick look and seems like I need to take a longer slower look before deciding which way to go.

 

[RogerL]

David Sullivan's site, linked above, is incredibly useful.

I find that by using a satellite website before travelling and entering the postcode/location I can find out the magnetic compass bearing and elevation that the dish needs to be set to - on site I set the elevation and ensure the tripod post is vertical and then align the dish to the bearing - after that a simple audible signal detector can be used to ensure absolute optimum signal.

My biggest problems have been getting the tripod upright (it affects the elevation and skew angles) and misjudging obstacles like trees - which are notorious for lining up through a gap to set up but then moving around in the wind just when you're watching it.

I use the Humax Foxsat HDR which has a twin receiver allowing recording of two channels or watching one while recording another.

If you touring outside the UK, the signals got worse this year as they've changed to a UK "spot" beam - but if you tourin the UK they've got better particularly in Scotland where a smaller dish can now be used.

 

[Woody3]

Best bet is to go wander around your local Cash Converters or Cash Generator and get a Sky multiroom box. It is about a third the size of a standard Sky+HD box as it does not have a recording facility but otherwise is near identical electronically. If you are lucky - and most times you will be - it will still have an expired subscription card in it which will get you your local channels on the right numbers. (It will still work without a card but 101 will be BBC London and 103 will be ITV Central West.) Expect to pay less than £20 with remote and usually a 15 or 30 day warranty.
For setting up, if you can get an optical compass it helps, and a signal finder which are around a fiver when on offer in Lidl or Aldi. If you have a smartphone download Satellite Finder and Satellite Director both of which are free. One of them - I think the latter - uses the compass and camera in your phone to show you on the screen the exact physical position of the satellite (Astra 28.2E) in the sky. If you can get on line with a tablet or laptop when on site go to
http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/AudioVisualTV/SatelliteTV/SatelliteGeneral.html
which, when you enter your location, will plot on a OS map or Google maps exactly where to point your dish. [Another part of the same site will also make UK TV aerial alignment much easer.]

Good luck.

 

[SirRogerFFS]

Which Satellite Box,Well this does depend on your needs .We first started out with one from Maplins in a case and works well.(Still Have)We only use the Satellite system on sites where we know the TV signal is crap. If you are not into multi room and all this technical rubbish and need something simple get a cheap Humax box it works very well you can get the HD version for around the £100 mark and is so simple to use .
Good Luck . Sir Roger

 

[Trevormc]

I have a Sky box. Many years ago I purchased a Sky package for a one off payment of £150 fitted at home . I then purchased a dish, LNB and cable plus fittings, also a Aluminium tripod from Maplins that is for large speakers. It needs to be pegged down to stop the wind blowing it over. The card is our second one supposed to last for 5 years and is free to replace. when the time it is due for renewal a message come on the TV and you apply for your new one. Only time we have had problems there has been a tree or building in the way but with a extension cable just move the dish about.

Trevor

 

[Woody3]

Which Satellite Box,Well this does depend on your needs .We first started out with one from Maplins in a case and works well.(Still Have)We only use the Satellite system on sites where we know the TV signal is crap. If you are not into multi room and all this technical rubbish and need something simple get a cheap Humax box it works very well you can get the HD version for around the £100 mark and is so simple to use .
Good Luck . Sir Roger

What do you mean by 'not into multiroom...?' A second hand Sky box - and these days you will usually get a Sky+HD - has twin tuners and a recording facility (for which you have to pay whether on Freesat-from-Sky or subscription.) A multiroom box is simply a single satellite receiver without recording facilities and (a) it is considerably lighter, (b) it is silent, and (c) takes rather less power (albeit they don't take much to start with.) They are rather more sensitive than the big box though heaven knows why given it is essentially the same tuner.

Why pay £100 or more when you can get the same for £20 or less and usually more channels to boot (although mainly advertising.)

 

[SirRogerFFS]

Woody3 No offence meant just suggested the easy option if just a straight forward set up was needed which is what the poster was looking for. I guess a Freesat box will be cheaper on Ebay .That was just the option we took
Sir Roger